Midnight Talks
by jenri92
Summary: In the dead of night, she prepares him for the most difficult task that he is about to embark upon. Taking care of his son.
1. Chapter 1

It was the dead of night as two elves were talking in the kitchen. With the female bustling about and the male just keeping himself composed and trying not to laugh with the evidence of nervousness seeping from the she elf in front of him.

"You will find everything you need in here." She said opening the cupboards in the kitchen, "He usually wants pancakes for breakfast and sometimes you have to get a bit creative when it comes to what kind of pancake he'll eat but he's happy with the normal pancakes. You can put bananas in it or anything really."

"Do I have to make him breakfast?" the majestic king asked the she-elf who stood before him

"It is the only meal that you will cook for him. Allow it to be a way for you to show that you care. I mean he will have lunch on his own and most likely dinner on his own because you will be too busy. So make this your time with him. And if he is a good little elfling like he is supposed to be while you prepare him his breakfast, tell him that you'll give him a cookie." She told him

"What's next?" asked the king

"Next give him a bath. He'll not want to go inside the bath at first but just bribe him with sweet cakes or cookies afterwards if he cooperates. Then if he does, give him a cookie. Same with dressing up. He'll want to run around naked. I really don't know why but I suppose it's a thing of youth." She said with a smile, as they walked down the torch lit corridors of his palace

"Afterwards, you can just leave him be. Just place guards with him, always. Always. He'll likely get into trouble and it is best to have some guards with him. But, of course, never—"

"Never into the forest, I know." He said with a smile. Suddenly his smile disappeared and he furrowed his eyebrows,

"What do you mean 'he'll likely get into trouble'?" asked the king

"He likes climbing trees. He's really fast too so make sure to have guards who can a grab a hold of him quickly, without harming him—of course—and lead him back to the palace. Tell the guards to tell you whether he behaves or not. The caliber of what counts as behaved ranges from reading his picture books to climbing on trees and just sitting. Misbehavior goes from… well, climbing on trees and throwing rocks or fruits at the people passing by or basically anything that he endangers himself or others. He doesn't normally misbehave, he's just really curious. Make sure you tell these things to the guards while he is there with you so he can hear it. If he behaves, he gets a cookie." She said simply

"Are we fattening an elfling? We seem to be giving him a lot of cookies. Don't you think that would spoil him?" asked the king in concern

"He's growing up and soon he won't even need us anymore. I just want him to always think that we were there for him when he needed it and was rewarded if he did good. After all, it was just a cookie, it's not a kingdom that we're giving him. If he misbehaves just give him a time out. 5-15 minutes would be sufficient since he can't sit still and that would be a lifetime of sitting down and keeping quiet, to him." She said as approached double doors on the left side of the wide hall.

"He's growing up so fast." She said as she looked on to a blonde sleeping form on the enormous silver gilded bed that was too big for an elfling. She entered, gave the prince—only 4 years old to a human's eyes—a kiss on the forehead and said a silent prayer to Valar to watch over her son as he slept and also while she is on her way to Rivendell.

"My darling, sometimes I think you forget that we are elves. We can still be oh so young." Said the King as he wrapped his arms around his wife and partner.

"Is that so?" she said with a twinkle in her eye. As she shut the door of her son's room and walked with her husband down the hall. As they turned a corner he whispered,

"Yes," he said kissing her neck, "that is so."

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**_Review please!_**

**_Author's Note: Now, if you've reached this far then... THANKS FOR READING! I hope you enjoyed it! Tell me if you want me to follow this up with something. I initially wanted this to be a one-shot but that can be changed._**


	2. Chapter 2

"Ada will take care of you okay, Legolas? So be the good little boy I know you are." Said Nienna when she hugged her son who was standing still as much as he could

"Yes I will nana!" he said gleefully

"Take care of him. Yes?" she said, the worry growing more and more apparent in her flawless features

"Of course I will." He said taking her hands in his and kissing it

"Ew! Ada!" the couple just laughed as one of the young maid took Legolas in her arms.

"Be safe. Be always on your guard." He said as he walked with her to her horse, "I love you." Closing the gap between them as he placed his hand to her cheek and pulled their faces closer together

"I love you more." She said, almost in a whisper. Not needing to make her voice loud since he was so near.

"I don't think that's possible." He said, kissing her and allowing himself to linger there for a while.

"Please come back to me." He said, when they broke off and helped her up to her horse.

"It is my sole wish to be with you and our son again. I will be back in time for the Yuletide season." She said as she took a hold of the reigns of her horse. Thranduil took her hand for one last time and placed a kiss upon it.

"I will be back in a month's time." She said to the young maid who was carrying her son as she lifted up the young prince to his mother.

"Goodbye, my love. I will be back as soon as I can." She said, giving Legolas one last hug and kiss and gave her back to Thranduil

The Queen's entourage started to leave as horses galloped out of the palace grounds and Legolas waved goodbye to his mother with a few tears trickling down his face.

"It will just be the two of us for two weeks, ion nín. Why are you crying, Legolas?" he asked, surprised by the sudden difference in his son's disposition

"Nana is gone." He said

"She will come back. I know she will. She loves you very much." He told his son and his son gave him a huge smile and squirmed out of his arms to get down.

They walked back inside the palace, hand in hand and waited for dinner to be served.

* * *

A week had gone by since Nienna's departure and Thranduil was sure that she should have arrived in Lothlorien a day ago. He was on his way to Legolas' room to fetch the little boy for dinner.

"Legolas. Legolas? Ooohhff!" he sounded tripping over the big lump under the rug in Legolas' room. He pulled up the rug and looked underneath

"Legolas. What is this?" he asked the child who came to view with arms filled with nuts

"I'm storing nuts for the winter, Ada!" he said with a smile

"Why are you storing nuts for the winter?" he asked taking the child with him and making Legolas lay down the nuts on the floor

"I'm a chipmunk!" he said with excitement

"Oh dear! My son is now a chipmunk! This brings me so much sadness." he said to humor Legolas and sat down on the rocking chair near the bay window that faced the west trees of the palace in his son's room.

"No ada. Don't be sad!" said Legolas as he ran out of under the rug and hugged his father's legs.

"Now that you're here, I'm not. Let's have dinner, little one."

"When will nana be back?" asked Legolas as he walked beside his father his small hand in Thranduil's large one.

"Soon, little one. Soon."

"Do you want her to come back, ada?" Legolas asked innocently

"Of course, I do, ion nín." They entered the great dining hall where they were going to take their dinner and where they usually held feasts. On the table laid a bowl of greens and a few pieces of meat that was for Legolas to build his strength as a growing elf.

"Come now." Said Thranduil, motioning for Legolas to behave as he places him on a chair that is elevated so that he can reach the table.

"Lineth, please give Legolas his food." Thranduil said to the elf maid standing in the corner.

"Yes, milord." She walked toward Legolas and put some greens and meat on his plate

They were just in the middle of dinner with Legolas animatedly telling his dad how he was climbing up trees and collecting nuts when a knock rapped on the door.

"Tell them I'm having dinner with my son." He told Galion. Galion approached the door and opened it

"Your Grace, I believe this really needs your attention."

"Fine. Bring whoever that is in." said Thranduil, getting slightly irritated.

"Your Grace," he said putting a fisted hand over his heart and knelt.

"Her Grace's party was ambushed." Said the soldier


	3. Chapter 3

"What?" Thranduil stood up so quickly and nearly toppled the chair backwards and rushed toward the soldier.

"Ada?" Legolas asked in fear when Thranduil stood up so fast

"Lineth bring Legolas back to his room and stay with him. Galion send 2 guards to stand by."

"Yes your Grace." Said the maid and Galion in unison and brought Legolas back to his room.

"What happened?"

"That is the only thing we know of what happened. When my lady Galadriel and lord Celeborn had been expecting her and she hadn't yet arrived they asked lord Haldir to check. And when they got there they saw some of the elves dead."

"And Nienna? Where is my wife?"

"She has not been found, your majesty." At this, he couldn't speak. He took hold of the edge of the long table with his palms to keep himself from falling. He raised his hand to give the soldier his leave and the once majestic king sank to the floor in a heap of sadness, worry and anger all rushing at the same time.

"Your majesty!" said Galion, as he rushed to the once graceful and joyous king slumped on the cold stone floor.

"They can't find her, Galion. They can't find my wife." He said in disbelief

"Your majesty. The queen—"

"The queen is more than just a queen. She's a mother. She's my wife. She's my life!" said Thranduil tightening his hands on Galion's collar.

"We will send out scouts my lord."

"We will send out scouts. And the royal guard. Yes. The royal guard." He said grappling at the table to help himself up.

"My lord."

"Legolas. I—I need to hold my son." He said steadily making his way to the door.


	4. Chapter 4

**_Hey readers! Since I uploaded the previous chapter and it is uber short, here's the follow up to that one. Much love! Now...ONWARDS!_**

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"Ion nín? Legolas?" he said as he entered his son's room making sure that he had no remnants of tears left on his cheeks.

"Ada! Is everything okay?" he asked in wide-eyed innocence and grabbing a hold of his father's legs having grown past his knees by just a bit.

"Everything is okay, ion. I need to tell you something though. I want you to never go out to the woods alone. Okay? I need you to promise me that you will ask any of the guards to go with you or even ask me to go with you. Okay?" he looked at his son waiting for a response. His son, nearly 20 years old in elven years but only appearing to be 3 years old to humans' eyes, dragged his foot in front of him not wanting to look at his father because he knew he had no other option but to comply.

"Legolas?"

"Yes, ada." He said sadly. Thranduil knew that his son was upset by this. His son loved the woods and as of late was insistent in going to the woods alone.

"How about we get you to bed?" he asked his son

"My cookie?" asked Legolas, as if waiting for payment before getting into bed

"I will give you your cookie." Assured Thranduil

"Okay!" Legolas said with a grin

"Alright. Let's get you in a bath." Lineth made a motion to go toward Legolas to pick him up and bring him to his bath but Thranduil raised his hand and dismissed her.

"Come, little one. Let's get you all cleaned up." Said Thranduil as he picked up Legolas and made funny faces to perk up his son.

* * *

"Ada, it's too hot!" said Legolas as he tried climbing further into his father's arms

"Is it?" he asked, testing the water he asked for more cold water to be brought and waited with Legolas in the bathroom until the heat of the bath became cooler for Legolas to bathe in.

"Is that okay?" asked Thranduil bring Legolas closer to the bath tub and making him dip his small hands in the water

"Yes, yes!" He said grabbing onto his father's arms and waiting to be hoisted up and in the water. The king just sat there looking at his son. He gave Legolas all of his toys to entertain him while he washed his son's hair

"Ada. Where is naneth?"

"I don't know ion."

"Will she be coming back?"

"I will bring her back."

"You promise?"

"I promise. Now come on. You're all cleaned up now. Let's get you dressed." He said taking a hold of his son and lifting him up out of the tub with his left arm and placing a towel to dry the little elf with his right arm. Not caring anymore that he was getting his own clothes wet.

"My cookie!" urged Legolas

"Yes. Of course." Said Thranduil as he held his son's hand and led him to his bedroom to dry and get changed.

"Ada. My cookie." Said Legolas

"I know, ion nín. If you get dressed up properly I'll give you two cookies."

"Okay!" said Legolas with a smile and rushed over to his cabinet and pulled out, as much as he could, the drawers that held his bed time clothes. Legolas tried putting it all by himself but when he saw his son struggle, Thranduil helped him put on his green onesie. Legolas ran over to his bed and sat there with his arms stretched out and his hands as if grabbing something

"Your cookies." Said Thranduil with a smile as he handed his son 2 sugar cookies

"Thank you ada." He said as he ate his cookies and when he was done he drank the glass of milk that Lineth had left on his bedside table.

"Goodnight ada." Said Legolas as Thranduil made his way toward the door. Thranduil's chest tightening at leaving his son alone after the news he had heard just moments ago.

"Legolas, how about you stay with ada tonight? Would you like that?" asked Thranduil, Legolas formed a smile on his face and grabbed his teddy bear that Lineth had made for him and the blanket that his mother had weaved for him and ran out of his room heading to his father's room. At this, Thranduil breathed out a sigh of relief and followed his son.

After tucking in Legolas, he changed his clothes and put on his evening robes and laid beside his son.

"Ada can you tell me a story?" trying to stifle a yawn

"Sure, ion what story would you like?"

"Can you tell me—" said Legolas his request interrupted by his yawns, "the story of how you met naneth?"

"Sure." He said. He sat beside his son, as his son cuddle up against him and began the story of the greatest love affair he experienced—_still experiencing, _he thought. He continued until he could hear Legolas soft snores against his side.

"Goodnight my little Greenleaf. I promise I will bring you back your naneth." He said, giving his son a kiss on the forehead and allowing for exhaustion to take over and let him fall into a deep slumber.

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**_Review please!_**

**_Author's Note: Now, if you've reached this far then... THANKS FOR READING! I hope you enjoyed it!_**


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